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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. degree — an amount
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mate — a friend
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. pit — in a race
  9. degree — from a university
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. degree — temperature
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — boats
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. sharp — clever

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com